Skate with plastic frame



Oct 1965 P. FLORJANCIC ETAL 3,212,785

SKATE WITH PLASTIC FRAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 1" F'iled Feb. 19, 1963 llln I [111.6 I "In main-$1 f ffn'lc 1965 P. FLORJANCIC ETAL 3,212,735

SKATE WITH PLASTIC FRAME Filed Feb. 19, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORY) P: fer 0 1 'w-i l9 5 544m 7- Oct. 19, 1965 P. FLORJANCIC ETAL 3,212,735

SKATE WITH PLASTIC FRAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb.

INVENTORS Perer F/ar' rr 1960;!

United States Patent 12 Claims. cl. 28011.12)

The present invention relates to skates and more specifically to ice-skates having plastic frames.

Up to now, the blade as well as the frame of a skate by means of which the blade is connected to a shoe have been made from metal. Attempts have been made to make lighter skates by forming the same completely from plastic material, but such skates have not found acceptance since such plastic skates were inferior to metal skates as far as wear and slidability were concerned. Nevertheless, there is a strong demand by skaters and iceskate manufacturers for a skate which is lighter than the comm-only used metal skates.

It is one object of the present invention to provide for an ice-skate which overcomes the disadvantages of skates heretofore used.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a skate which is lighter than a skate completely made from metal.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for a light skate which has the same slidability as metal skates and which will stand up perfectly under extended use.

It is yet an additional object of the present invention to provide for a light skate which is composed of a few and rugged parts and which can be manufactured at a very reasonable cost.

With these objects in view the skate of the present invention comprises mainly an elongated metal blade, frame means made from plastic material and having an upper plate portion extending spaced from and substan- ,tially in a plane transverse to said blade and a central rib portion extending substantially in the plane of the blade, and connecting means for connecting the blade with the frame means.

The metal blade may be connected to the central rib portion of the plastic frame means by integrally forming a plurality of projections upwardly projecting from the top surface of the blade and extending into the rib portion of the frame means. To give the blade added strength, especially against bending of the blade transverse to its plane, an additional reinforcing member may also be used and such a reinforcing member has preferably a U-shaped cross section and is arranged straddling the upper portion of the blade with the flanges of the U-shaped cross section tightly engaging opposite side faces of the upper blade portion, while the connecting portion between the flanges is arranged in abutting relationship to the top surface of the blade. The opposite ends of the reinforcing member are preferably upwardly bent to extend from the top surface of the blade into the rib portion of the frame means toward the plate portion thereof. Instead of using a separate reinforcing member, part of the top portion of the blade between opposite ends thereof may also be laterally bent to one side of the plane of the blade and the ends of the laterally bent reinforcing portion may be upwardly bent to extend upwardly into the rib portion of the frame means. Furthermore, the blade may be formed adjacent the top surface thereof with a plurality of openings extending completely from one to the other side face of the blade or, the blade may also be formed with a 3,212,786 Patented Oct. 19, 1965 plurality of elongated indentations spaced from each other in longitudinal direction of the blade and extending alternatively from opposite side faces into the blade so as to form on the other side face respectively elongated transverse projections.

In manufacturing the skate according to the present invention, the metal blade is placed in a mold and the plastic frame means is molded, depending on the plastic material used, either by injection molding or compression molding in one piece about the upper portion of the blade. If the blade is formed with openings therethrough or with indentations the plastic material will penetrate into the openings or the indentations to completely fill the same. The rib portion of the plastic frame means has to have such a thickness that the upper portion of the blade, the projections thereon, and any reinforcing member or reinforcing portion formed on the blade is completely embedded in the plastic material.

The frame means may be formed from plastic materials which have sufficient strength to withstand the stresses they are subjected to in this application, such as for instance urea-formaldehyde, polyvinyl chloride, polyester resins, if necessary with glass fiber reinforcements, polyethylene, or polypropylene.

If the metallic blade and the plastic frame means have to be permanently connected to each other, the projections which extend upwardly from the blade may also be formed with undercuts or notches into which the plastic material penetrates during molding so as to connect the plastic frame means and the blade non-detachably to each other. On the other hand, if it is desired to provide for an exchangeable metallic blade, then the blade is preferably formed with plin like projections, projecting upwardly from the top surface thereof and corresponding metal sleeves are provided which snugly engage the outer surfaces of these pin-like projections. In this case the metal sleeves are molded in the rib portion of the plastic frame means and the bottom portion of the rib portion is formed with a groove adapted to fit snugly over the top edge portion of the blade. The groove may be also formed with cavities adapted to snugly receive any additional projections on the upper surface of the blade. The pin-like projections may be formed slightly tapering and the sleeves may be formed with inner corresponding tapering surfaces so that the pin-like projections may be wedged into the interior of the sleeves.

It is also possible to make the blade out of two elongated parts and in which the upper part is formed with projections and/ or indentations around which the rib portion of the frame means is molded while the lower part of the blade is arranged in abutting relationship against the upper part and connected thereto for instance by screws which extend through the frame means and the upper blade part into the lower blade part.

The frame means may also include reinforcing webs preferably arranged in pairs and in planes transverse to the plane of the rib portion of the frame means. The plate portion of the frame means may be formed with a plurality of spaced holes therethrough so that the sole of a shoe may be connected by screws to the plate portion of the frame means. The plate portion of the frame means can also be made in such a manner that it serves as the sole of a shoe and the upper of the shoe may be connected directly to the plate portion of the frame means. In this case, it is also possible to make the upper of the shoe also of plastic material and to mold the upper completely or in part directly during molding of the frame means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in-the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a skate according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the skate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the blade of the skate shown in FIG. 1 and showing also sleeves to be molded into the plastic frame means;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the blade shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the skate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a different embodiment of a skate according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a reinforcing member used in the embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross section of FIG. 6 taken along the line 88;

FIG. 9 is a side view of the blade of the skate shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a partial side view showing a modification of a projection on the blade;

FIG. 11 is a side view drawn to a smaller scale of the modification shown in FIG. 6 and showing partly an upper molded on the frame means of the modification shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is a perspective View of further modification of a blade used in combination with a plastic frame means according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a partial cross section taken along line 13--13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a cross section taken along line 1414 of FIG. 12; and

FIG. 15 is a side view drawn to a smaller scale and showing a skate using the metallic blade of FIG. 12.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1-5 of the same, it will be seen that the skate according to the present invention includes an elongated metal blade 1, best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 and plastic frame means F. The blade 1 is formed with a plurality of preferably rectangular projections 2 which project spaced from each other in longitudinal direction of the blade from the upper surface thereof. The blade is further formed with a pair of pin-like projections 3 and 5 respectively projecting between adjacent rectangular projections 2 from a front and rear portion of the blade in upward direction. The pin-like projections 3 and 5 have a height considerably greater than that of the rectangular projections 2.

The frame means which are formed from plastic material comprise in the modification shown in FIGS. 1-5 a front plate portion 8 and a rear heel plate portion 9, which respectively extend transverse to the plane of the blade upwardly spaced therefrom and a central rib portion 7 extending downwardly from the plate portions 8 and 9 beyond the top surface of the blade 1. The rib portion 7 has a thickness greater than that of the blade 1 so that the top portion of the blade 1 and the projections thereon are completely embedded in the plastic material of the frame means. The rib portion 7 has between thefront and rear plate portions 8 and 9 a height smaller than the remainder of the rib portion. As can be seen from FIG. 1 the front plate portion 8 is adapted to support the front part of a shoe whereas the rear heel portion 9 will support the heel 13 of a shoe as indicated in dash-dot lines in FIG. 1. The plate portions 8 and 9 are formed with a plurality of holes therethrough through which screws or the like, not shown in the drawings may extend into the sole and heel of the shoe to permanently fasten the latter to the skate. The frame means preferably include also pairs of transverse webs which extend from the plate portions thereof downwardly to opposite sides of the rib portion of the frame means. Two pairs 10 and 11 of such webs are shown extending downwardly from the front plate portion 8 and one pair of webs 12 is provided beneath the rear heel plate portion 9.

If it is desired to connect the blade 1 removably to the frame means F, sleeves 4 and 6 are used which have an inner surface adapted to fit tightly over the outer surface of the pin-like projections 3 and 5, respectively. In this case the sleeves 4 and 6 are molded into the frame means in a position shown in FIG. 1 and the frame means F are then connected to the blade 1 by pushing the pins 3 and 5 respectively into the sleeves 4 and 6. It is understood that the bottom portion of the frame means is formed with a shallow groove and indentations adapted to snugly receive the upper portion of the blade 1 and the projections 2 thereon, when the frame means and blade are connected to each other. To assure a tight connection between the frame means and the blade, it is also possible to taper the pins 3 and 5 slightly in upward direction and to taper the bores in the sleeves 4 and 6 correspondingly so that the pins 3 and 5 will wedge into the sleeves when the frame means and the blade are pressed together.

If it is desired to permanently connect the blade 1 to the frame means F, then the sleeves 4 and 6 may be omitted and the projections 2 as well as the pin-like 'projections 3 and 5 may be formed with slight undercuts to assure such a permanent connection. The pinlike projections 3 and 5 are respectively arranged substantially in the center of the plate portions 8 and 9.

FIGS. 69 illustrate another modification of the skate according to the present invention. The modification shown in these figures includes an elongated metal blade 21 formed with two pairs of short projections 22 projecting from the upper surface of the blade 21 respectively from a front and rear portion thereof. An elongated reinforcing member 24 of U-shaped cross section is placed between the innermost of the projections 22 against the top surface of the blade 21 with the parallel flanges of the U-shaped cross section respectively snugly engaging the side faces of the blade 21 while the transverse portion 23 connecting the flanges abuts against the top surface of the blade 21. The reinforcing member 24 has also a pair of end portions 24' and 24" which project upwardly from opposite ends of the central portion of the reinforcing member 24. The blade is preferably also formed with a plurality of elongated openings 26 therethrough which are arranged spaced from each other in longitudinal direction of the blade beneath the lowermost portion of the reinforcing member 24. Openings 26 may also be formed in the part of the blade projecting upwardly from the front end thereof. The skate of the modification shown in FIGS. 6-9 includes also frame means F madefrom plastic material and these frame means include an upper plate portion 27 extending substantially in a plane transverse to that of the blade spaced from the upper ends 24 and 24 of the reinforcing member 24 and a central rib portion 25 extending from the upper plate portion 27 downwardly beyond the lowermost portion of the openings 26. The central rib portion 25 has a thickness greater than that of the reinforcing member 24 so that the latter is completely embedded in the plastic material of the frame means as clearly shown in FIG. 8. The rib portion 25 may be formed between the upwardly projecting end portions 24 and 24" of the reinforcing member 24 with a cutout 30 and a similar cutout 30 may also be formed between the projecting end portion 24" and the upwardly projecting front part of the blade. Reinforcing webs 28 may also be provided extending respectively to opposite sides of the rib portion 25 preferably in the region of the upwardly projecting end portion 24' of the reinforcing member 24.

In manufacturing the skate as shown in FIGS. 6-9, the reinforcing member 24 is placed against the top surface of the blade 21 between the innermost of the projections 22 and the plastic frame means F is then molded about the upper portion of the blade 21 and the reinforcing member 24' placed thereon. During molding the plastic material will also penetrate into the openings 26 formed in the blade and completely fill these openings as clearly shown in FIG. 8. The plastic frame means F and the blade 21 will thus be permanently connected to each other with the reinforcing member 24 completely embedded in the plastic material of the frame means. The projections 22 may also be formed with undercuts to more securely connect the frame means F to the blade 21. Such a modified projection 22' is shown in FIG. which also shows undercuts or notches 22a extending into the projection.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 6-9 the upper plate portion 27 of the frame means extends uniterrupted substantially through the full length of the skate. In this construction it is also possible to use the upper plate portion 27 as the finished sole of a shoe to which the upper 29 may be directly connected as shown in FIG. 11. In such a construction the upper 29 may also be formed from plastic material and this upper may completely or in part be molded in one operation with the molding of the remainder of the frame means.

A further modification of a metal blade to be used in connection with plastic frame means according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1214. In this modification the blade 31 has a reinforcing portion 32 extending from the top surface of the blade spaced from opposite ends thereof to one side of the plane of the blade and a pair of projections 32' and 32 projecting from opposite ends of the reinforcing portion 32 upwardly from the top surface. The blade 31 is formed beneath the reinforcing portion 32 with a plurality of elongated indentations 33 extending spaced from each other in longitudinal direction of the blade 31 alternatively from opposite side faces into the blade so as to form opposite each identation an elongated transverse projection 34. The blade 31 is especially adapted to withstand any lateral bending stresses, it may be subjected to during its use, at least as well as the blade 21 with the separate reinforcing member 24 described before. Blade 31 is however slightly lighter than the blade 21 including the reinforcing member 24 and, since the reinforcing portion 32 is integral with the remainder of the blade, the modification shown in FIGS. 12-14 can also be made at less cost than the blade 21 with the separate reinforcing member 24.

As shown in FIG. 15, the blade 31 is also used with frame means F made from plastic material and the lower edge of the frame F extends beyond the lowermost portions of the indentations 33 and projections 34 so that during molding of the frame means F onto the blade 31, the indentations 33 are completely filled and the lateral projections 34 completely embedded in the plastic material of the frame means. The frame means F" may also be formed below its upper plate portion 37 with a cutout 35 arranged between the upwardly extending projections 32' and 32". A similar cutout, not shown in the drawing, may also be formed between the front projection 32 and the upwardly projecting nose 36 of the blade 31.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of skates differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in ice-skates having a metallic blade and plastic frame means, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made Without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Thus the end portions 24 and 24" of the reinforcing member 24 shown in FIGS. 6-8 may also be formed with undercuts as shown at 22a in FIG. 10 and such undercuts may also be provided in the projections 32' and 32 shown in the blade illustrated in FIG. 12. Also the upper plate portion 37 of the plastic frame means F" shown in FIG. 15 may be used as the finished sole of a shoe as described in connection with FIG. 11 and an upper similar to the upper 29 shown in FIG. 11 may be directly connected to the upper plate portion 37.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inven tion and, therefore, such adaptations should and are in tended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A skate comprising, in combination, an elongated metal blade having a bottom surface and a top surface and a plurality of projections projecting spaced from each other in longitudinal direction of said blade upwardly from said top surface thereof, said blade being formed in an upper portion thereof with a plurality of indentations extending spaced from said top surface and spaced from each other in longitudinal direction of said blade into the latter; and frame means made from plastic material and having an upper plate portion extending spaced from said top surface of said blade substantially in a plane transverse to the plane of said blade, and a central rib portion having a thickness greater than that of said blade and extending from said plate portion downwardly beyond the lowermost portions of said indentations and into the latter so as to completely fill the same; said projections and an upper portion of said blade being imbedded in the plastic material of said rib portion of said frame means, at least three of said projections, one of which forms the front end portion of said metal blade, extending substantially up to said plate portion of said frame means.

2. A skate comprising, in combination, an elongated metal blade having a bottom surface and a top surface and a front end portion projecting upwardly from said top surface, an elongated reinforcing member of U-shaped cross section having a pair of parallel flanges connected by a transverse portion, said reinforcing member having a central portion engaging with said transverse portion thereof said top surface of said metal blade while said flanges of said central portion abut against side faces of said blade, and a pair of end portions respectively projecting upwardly from opposite ends of said central portion; and frame means made from plastic material and having an upper plate portion extending spaced from the upper ends of said end portions of said reinforcing member transverse to the plane of said blade and a central rib portion having a thickness greater than that of said reinforcing member and extending from said plate portion downwardly beyond said reinforcing member into engagement with said side faces of said blade, said reinforcing member and an upper edge portion of said blade being completely, and said front end portion being at least in part, embedded in the plastic material of said rib portion of said frame means and said end portions having upper ends closely adjacent to said plate portion of said frame means.

3. A skate as set forth in claim 2 in which said blade is formed in a portion thereof spaced further from the top surface thereof than the lowermost portion of said reinforcing member with a plurality of openings therethrough spaced from each other in longitudinal direction of said blade and in which said rib portion of said frame means extends downwardly beyond said openings and into the latter so as to completely fill the same.

4. A skate as set forth in claim 2 in which said cen- 7 tral rib portion of said frame means is formed-between said upwardly projecting end portions of said elongated reinforcing member with an elongated cut-out.

5. A skate as set forth-in claim 4 in which saidframe means includes a plurality of reinforcing webs extending respectively in planestransverse to said'rib portion downwardly from said plate portion atleast in the region of one of said upwardly projecting end portions of said reinforcing member. I

6. A skate as set forth-in glaim 2 and including a plurality of'projections integral withsaid bladeandprojecting spaced from each other forwardly-and rearwardly of said reinforcing member from saidtop surface of said blade.

7. A skate as set forth -in claim 6 in which said projections are formed with undercuts.

8. A skate as set forth in claim 2 in which .saidplate portion of said frame means forms the sole 'of a shoe and including a shoe upper connected to'said plate portion.

9. A skate comprising, in combination, 'anelongated metal blade having an upwardly projecting front end portion, a reinforcing portion extending fromthe top surface of said blade spaced from opposite ends thereof to one side of the planeof said blade and a pair of projections projecting from opposite ends of said reinforcing portion upwardly from'said top surface; and'frame means made from plastic material having an upper plate portion extending spaced from the upper ends of said projections transverse to said plane of said blade and a central rib portion having a thickness greater than'that of said blade including said reinforcing portion and extending from said plate portion downwardly beyondsaid reinforcing portion of said blade sothatsaid reinforcing portion and an upper portion of said blade is embedded in the-plastic material of said rib portion, 'said front end portion and said projections extending substantially up to the plane of said plate portion.

10. A skate comprising, in combination, an elongated metal blade having an upwardly projecting front end portion, a reinforcing portion extending from the top surface of said blade spaced from opposite ends thereof to one side of the plane 'ofsaidblade and a .pair "of projections projecting from opposite ends of said reinforcing portion upwardly from said top surface, said blade being formed beneath said reinforcing portion with a pluralit-yof elongated indentations extending spaced from eachother alternatively from opposite side faces into said blade and opposite each indentation with an elongated transverse projection; and frame means made from plastic material having an upper plate portion extending spaced from the upper ends of said projections transverse to said plane of said blade and a central rib portion having a thickness greater than that of said blade includingsaid reinforcing portion and extending fromsaid plate'portiondownwardly beyond the lowermost portions of said indentations and transverse projections, said indentations being filled with the plastic material of said rib portion and said transverse projections being embedded in said material, said front end portion and said projections extending substantially up to the plane of said plate portion.

11. In a skate, an'elongated metal blade having a reinforcing portion extending from said top surface of said blade spaced from opposite ends thereof at least to one side'of the plane of saidblade and apair of projections projecting from opposite ends of said reinforcing portion upwardly from said topsurface, said blade being formed beneath said reinforcing portion with a plurality of elongated indentations extending spaced from each other into said blade and a plastic frame having an upper plate portion extending in a plane transverse to said metal blade upwardly spaced from said top surface thereof and having a central rib portion extending downwardly from said plate portion and surrounding said reinforcing portion and a portion of said metal blade downwardly of said reinforcing portion so that said indentations formed in said blade are filled with the plastic material of said frame whereby the latter and said blade are secured to one an other.

1 2. A skate comprising, in combination, metal blade means having an elongated substantially straight portion and a front end portion extending upwardly from one end of said straight portion; reinforcing means including a longitudinal'portion extending along the'upper edge'of said blade means at least to one side thereof, and further including a pair of projections integral with said longitudinal portion and extending upwardly therefrom at longitudinally'spaced positions thereof; and frame means made from plastic -material and having an upper plate portion extending upwardly spaced from said straight portion of said blade means in a plane transverse to the latter,'and a central rib portion-extending downwardly from said plate portion beyond the top edge of said straight portion of said blade means, said front end portion and said pair of projections extendingsubstantially up to the plane of said plate portion, said front end portion being at least in part and said reinforcing means being completel'y embeddedin the plastic material of said rib portion of said frame means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,115,790 11/14 Drevitson a 280-11.17 1,371,608 3/21 Drevitson 28011.12 1,459,050 6/23 Drevitson 28011.12 1,666,690 4/28 Drevitson 2801 1.17 2,219,123 10/40 Wold 28011.3

' FOREIGN PATENTS 585,720 10/59 Canada. 545,394 3/32 Germany.

58,363 10/ 46 Netherlands. 57,944 5 37 Norway. 108,705 10/ 43 Norway. 123,068 8/58 Russia. 165,081 10/58 Sweden.

A. HARRY LEVY, Primary Examiner. 

12. A SKATE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, METAL BLADE MEANS HAVING AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT PORTION AND A FRONT END PORTION EXTENDING UPEARDLY FROM ONE END OF SAID STRAIGHT PORTION; REINFORCING MEANS INCLUDING A LONGITUDINAL PORTION EXTENDING ALONG THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID BLADE MEANS AT LEAST TO ONE SIDE THEREOF, AND FURTHER INCLUDING A PAIR OF PROJECTIONS INTEGRAL WITH SAID LONGITUDINAL PORTION AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM AT LONGITUDINALLY SPACED POSITIONS THEREOF; AND FRAME MEANS MADE FROM PLASTIC MATERIAL AND HAVING AN UPPER PLATE PORTION EXTENDING UPWARDLY SPACED FROM SAID STRAIGHT PORTION OF SAID BLADE MEANS IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO THE LATTER, AND A CENTRAL RIB PORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID PLATE PORTION BEYOND THE TOP EDGE OF SAID STRAIGHT PORTION OF SAID BLADE MEANS, SAID FRONT END PORTION AND SAID PAIR OF PROJECTIONS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY UP TO THE PLANE OF SAID PLATE PORTION, SAID FRONT END PORTION BEING AT LEAST IN PART AND SAID REINFORCING MEANS BEING COMPLETELY EMBEDDED IN THE PLASTIC MATERIAL OF SAID RIB PORTION OF SAID FRAME MEANS. 